Clare In The Community

Clare organises a charity benefit in aid of the Keep Sparrowhawk Family Centre Open campaign, and Ray is determined to sing his folk songs.

Clare and Brian are planning their holiday but Clare insists on summering in the UK despite the weather in order to lower their carbon footprint. Brian's suggestions of Devon, New Forest and Norfolk don't appeal but Clare however has a solution on how to halve their carbon footprint while going abroad and that is to leave Brian at home.

At work, a team meeting is taking place once again to discuss the benefit gig in aid of the closure of the family centre. The community centre is booked, local TV may make an appearance and to Clare's delight, her hero Bill Gallagher, the local MP who ate a Kangaroo penis on I'm A Celebrity and went on Celebrity Come Tap Dancing has agreed to come to the event. Ray thinks he is on the bill, ready to sing his 19th century folk songs but the threat of him being too boring has him cut from the show.

Back at home, Nali is signing a song to Thomas in her native language. Brian is so touched by the song he asks her what it was. It was a resistance song from her village; a song about riots and something about cutting off testicles. Nali also finds a toy in the park and lets Thomas keep it as he enjoys playing with it so much. When Clare finds out it is a water pistol, she screams at Nali and Brian to get rid of it as it will influence Thomas to go into a life of crime and danger. While having the gun for only a few seconds, Brian starts pretending to be in a western.

The next day, Clare receives a phone call from Brian asking whether she can go with him to Ipswich on Friday. The benefit gig is on the same night and Clare doesn't want to miss it. Brian will just have to go to his father's funeral without her. And at school, Brian tells Simon that his old man has died. Simon however comforts him saying he has had that problem but just to go on the internet and get some ointment and his old man will be back to normal in no time. When he finally understands the term of 'old man,' he agrees to go along with him. Ray in the meantime tells Clare how sorry he is for Brian's loss and says he will do anything to help so long as he can have his lot back in the show to sing.

In bed that night, Clare tries to use reverse psychology to get her off the hook in not going to the funeral. Brian though says he would really appreciate her company. Clare reminds him that Simon is going and he gets the message. He tells her she doesn't have to go and she happily says cheers and goes to sleep.

On the day of the funeral, Brian is standing over his father's grave when Simon double checks with him that he has got the number of Brian's sister correct. Brian is disgusted, especially as he is still dating Nali but he is told that the relationship is broken. Nali has fell in love with someone else; an older man in a relationship with a young child. Brian is so struck by the news that he falls into the open grave. Simon runs off to fetch a ladder.

At the gig, Megan is on stage teaching the crowd how to do traditional Scottish country dancing while Clare is outside waiting for the arrival of Bill Gallagher who is twenty minutes late. Helen reveals to Clare that she had sex with Bill during the 1997 general election and plans to remind of the day when they meet. When Gallagher does arrive, he cannot remember anything about Helen and has only come to the event on the news that there was a free bar.

Once again at home, Brian is getting undressed when Nali accidentally walks in. Brian is nervous with the whole situation s they sit on the bed and Nali appears to be giving off signs. When she says that she has fallen in love with her driving instructor, a married man with a child, Brian immediately loses all interest.

Back at the gig, Ray is on stage after the escapologist locked himself in his house. Ray shouts that he is a gay man and proud. He invites them to listen to his 19th century folk songs with apparently have a gay subtext which he wants them to listen out for. The first song, The Great Mining Disaster of 1864, has the chorus "twenty five men were stuck in my shaft". The other song mentioned is "Spray In My Face." "Ray: 'There is a slight hint of homoeroticism.'

Near the end of the show, Bill leaves carrying as much alcohol as possible when Clare asks what is to happen to the centre. Decisions have already been made and the centre is to be demolished and a new block of flats to be built on top. Bill has already bought one of the flats. Clare goes on stage and prepares herself to tell everyone the news when Megan interrupts and says what a fantastic occasion it has been and how hopeful she is feeling. Clare pulls back and lies, saying the fight is not yet lost until Irene tells Megan that the centre is being demolished.